Miraculous Taboo
by Setsumi-san
Summary: Pyron and Jun have overcome countless challenges in their relationship, and now they must face the greatest of all: a child. Has the couple gone too far by playing God? More importantly, how will the Taos react?
1. The Suggestion

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Shaman King in any way, shape, or form. I do not, never have, and never will intend to make any money off of this fanfic. The anime and manga belongs to the great Hiroyuki Takei, and if I knew him I'd be licking the dirt off his freaking shoes if he wanted me to. 

**Important Writer's Note:** You can use any characters I've made up in stories or fan art if you like as long as you give me credit. Thanks!

* * *

Here's something you haven't seen since August of oh-seven… 

**The 4****th**** Wall**

"Hey Setsumi, get your head up off of the desk. We've got a fanfic to start," Horohoro says.

"Nooo," I whine drowsily, "I don't wanna write anything now! I lost enough sleep writing articles for the school paper!"

"Oh, no you don't! The people have a right to be entertained…and the right to settle for your crapstorms when there's nothing else to do."

"Ha ha. My sides are splitting, Horohoro. Anyway, on with the fanfic."

* * *

"I want a child, Pyron," Jun told her boyfriend. 

He leaned forward curiously in the old leather armchair and tried to decipher her expression in the eerie candlelight. Was this it? Was this the life-changing secret she had dragged him all the way out to her favorite winter home alone to reveal? Why had she bothered to put a protective charm on the door (so ghosts couldn't eavesdrop) for this? 

"What's the matter? I don't care if you adopt a child. If you're afraid I'll begrudge it something, then let me alleviate that right now," he said warmly.

"No, you don't understand," she said.

"Well then why did you whisk me away and act so se-Oh. Oh… there's someone else, isn't there?"

"No, please listen," she replied firmly.

"It's okay if there is, really," he lied.

"I want your child," she finally explained.

There was a thunderclap of silence and the befuddled kyonshi just stared at her. Were Jun's insanity genes finally emerging at twenty-six? The Taos weren't exactly the sanest people, but she'd always managed to keep her head screwed on straight. Either she'd just lost it or was playing a sick joke.

"What?" he finally whispered.

"I'm not crazy. It is possible," she said.

"This isn't funny, Jun," he said sternly.

"I'm not trying to put a smile on your face. I want your child, but do you?"

"My goodness, you actually believe this."

"There is no "believe" to it. I know exactly what we'd need to do and where we'd need to go to make this happen, but I'd need your consent first."

Pyron was stunned speechless and felt a moral weight crushing his shoulders. He never dreamed the idea of parenthood would progress any further than the past hypothetical speculations or jokes. The couple had agreed it would be a dream come true, but believed the goal was about as attainable as a trip to Mars. He was a walking corpse, for goodness' sakes! Yet despite all that parental instinct had been strengthening in them every day (although the kyonshi hadn't acknowledged it as much as his girlfriend before now.)

_Wait, why the hell am I interested in this?_ he sharply asked himself.

If Jun was telling the truth, then her suggestion crossed countless boundaries. They would be playing God! Fate made it clear that he was done being fruitful and she would have to adopt or find another man if she wanted to start. Moreover, he'd already left two children behind.

_Behind…completely helpless… Oh Nathan…Ying-Ying…what are you doing now?_ he thought sadly.

Did his son still love dinosaurs? Had his daughter still cried for her daddy's protection from thunderstorms after his death? He adored Jun, but his ex-wife Melissa had bore him the greatest treasures on the planet. Of course, he neither blamed the dao-shi for it nor wanted to father another baby simply to replace the previous two. No, if he and Jun created a child it would be because of pure love.

_No, no, no! I can't believe I'm considering this!_ the White Dragon thought.

He asked his beloved how long she had been thinking about motherhood as calmly as possible.

"Too long," she chuckled weakly.

"Why don't you just go to a fertility clinic if you want to naturally experience motherhood?" he questioned.

"I was going to until I learned it was possible to have yours from an old friend. I love you and want no one else's. However, I won't pressure you if you refuse."

"Let me ask you this: how would your family feel?"

"My family wouldn't need to know. I'm a grown woman."

"First of all, they'd find out sooner or later. Furthermore, any family has a right to know about a new addition."

He had to bite his tongue to keep from adding "even yours."

"I don't know, but it would be their loss if they disapproved and everybody else's. Listen, I know that our child would have a lot to endure if it inherited shamanic powers or if people learned about its parentage. I'm not so naïve as to believe the world would be so open-minded or that motherhood in general would be easy. Nevertheless, I know I'm ready to sacrifice anything and everything for a child's well-being," she firmly declared, "All I need is a yes or no, Pyron."

Her words rang in his head: _I'm not so naïve…anything and everything_.

He wasn't naïve enough to think that a child could make it on love alone either. The world was an evil and judgmental place. "Hell" could not even begin to describe the prejudice and danger a little boy or girl would hypothetically go through. Yet… the joy of parenthood would be worth tenfold of the problems. It would be wonderful to witness all those milestones: first steps, first bike ride, graduation, and maybe even a first oversoul or daodan-do match. Also, if it inherited Jun's smile or pine green hair… Well, would there ever be a more gorgeous human being?

"Pyron?" she questioned

He looked her dead in the eye and said, "I have three words to say: how and when?"

* * *

Yeah, I actually wrote it. (feigns shock) Oh noes!11! I know it's a touchy subject and it does kind of give me the jibblies, but the concept's too interesting to ignore. 

Okay, the truth is I wanna see Pyron in protective daddy mode. That's gotta be the cutest thing ever. Anyway, compliments and constructive criticism are welcomed.


	2. The Seed

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Two: The Seed

XXXXXXX

It turned out that Faust the Eighth was the person to see about fertility. His and Eliza's house was more tenebrous than Pyron thought it would be and the gloomy weather didn't make it look any more inviting. It was like a setting out of an H.P. Lovecraft story except it was a little more bare and Japanese.

"Are you okay?" his girlfriend asked.

"Hmm? Oh yes, I'm just thinking about a few things," he replied.

"This is our last chance to turn back."

"I want nothing else."

"Okay. Let's do this."

**Bang, bang, bang! **Jun knocked and cautiously called out a greeting. When silence met them, she took a deep breath and opened the door. Her mannerly half knew they shouldn't intrude, but the rich and proud one said it couldn't hurt. She was used to getting what she wanted all her life.

"Hello? Doctor? Mrs. Faust? It's Jun Tao! We had a two o' clock appointment with you!" she re-called.

"Perhaps they're on a house call or doing some extra work at the onsen," the kyonshi suggested.

"That can't be," she said, "I made an arrangement weeks in adva-"

"Good day," Faust the Eighth cryptically greeted, popping up behind them.

Jun gave a little yelp and Pyron instinctively pulled her closer.

"Heh heh. Have no fear. I just want to help you two," the doctor replied creepily.

Pyron narrowed his eyes and still did not let his beloved go. He didn't trust the guy any further than he could throw (or kick if necessary) him. For a second they wondered if this was wise. After all, Faust dissected people for fun and he was obviously mentally ill. (Not that there was anything wrong with that. He'd known a very nice actor who was also bipolar, but that was another story.) Still, they wanted a baby.

"Yes…well let's get down to business. How will this be accomplished and how do you know so much about fertility science? I thought you were a cardiologist (1)," the martial artist said as calmly as possible.

"It's very simple. My colleague Doctor Murphey will simply take out your sperm, wash it with a special chemical to prevent any discomfort to your partner, and inseminate her intracervically. He's a fertility specialist. "

"Why would you help us?"

"Empathy, my friend. I want to help you plant the seed that Eliza and I shall never be able to grow. Unlike you, her reproductive system cannot work any longer. Human sperm can survive for forty-eight hours after death, but from what your girlfriend has told me the special fluid you were preserved in allowed it to still survive."

The kyonshi's eyes softened a bit. Faust might have been insane, but his heart really was in the right place.

"**A-hem!** There's something you should know. There are greater odds for multiple births with artificial insemination. Do you still want to go through with it?" Faust said.

"The more the merrier," Jun chirped.

Her sweetheart nodded and added, "We'll take care of ten if we have to."

"Says you," she joked.

"Are you ready?" Faust questioned.

The couple nodded in unison.

"Well then follow Doctor Murphey into the back room where he will take a sperm sample and fertilize you, Miss Tao." he instructed.

Pyron squeezed the priestess's hand. They were going to be parents!

Four days after she missed her period Jun Tao found out she was pregnant.

XXXXXXXXXX

"How about Teng Ai and Zhao Ao?" the White Dragon suggested.

The seventeen-week along mother moodily slurped her noodles. She didn't feel like picking out names right now for her twin girls for some reason.

"Well, I like Teng Ai. At least give some of my suggestions a second chance," he pleaded.

"It's unnatural," she whispered.

"What?" he questioned, frowning.

"It's unnatural! I haven't suffered from morning sickness yet."

"Eh? Why would you want to?"

"Because that's what pregnant women are supposed to do: be moody, have strange cravings, and throw up."

He gazed stonily at her and motioned for her to sit on his lap.

"What?" she asked.

"Come here," he said sternly.

When she begrudgingly obeyed he drew her into a passionate kiss. His cool lips pressed and plucked away at hers and they wrapped each other's arms in each other's hair. Hers was deliciously silky and freshly washed. He wished he could smell it.

Once they parted he reassured her, "You're not going through anything abnormal. Pregnancies are like fingerprints. No two are the same. My ex was only sick once when she was pregnant with our son. You just need to take care of yourself."

Her eyes were glued to the ground and she felt ashamed for acting so weak. Sometimes she doubted that she deserved this wonderful and sweet Sir Lancelot.

The dao-shi started another make out session and their grips tightened and each other. He chuckled softly- almost growled-and she giggled as his lips tickled her neck. They rarely made out nowadays, but when they did it was pure heaven.

Suddenly, her heart raced alarmingly high and she felt herself moisten in no place any virgin should. She was getting too turned on! Gasping, she bolted out of the room like a shot.

XXXXXXXXX

Okay, before you go into a big stink, let me say that I DO NOT SUPPORT NECROPHILIA!! I only wrote this for conflict. They're not going to have sex, but there's still the question of how Jun will relieve herself. What'll happen? You'll have too see in chappie three, peeps! Happy New Year!

1. It never specifies what kind of surgeon Faust is, so I'm taking some creative liberties.


	3. Sparrows, Mood Swings, and Old Faces

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by **Setsumi-san**

Chapter Three: Sparrows, Mood Swings, and Old Faces

**Disclaimer Number Two: **Kurama is Yoshihiro Togashi's. I just married him to Takei's Tamao because I like the crossover couple. I do not plan, never have planned, and never will plan to make any money off this fanfic. In fact, it's really a tribute to Mankin and Yu Yu Hakusho.

XXXXXX

_Why the hell did the hormones have to kick in now?_ the dao-shi thought.

"Jun! What's wrong?" her partner cried.

He dashed after her to the bedroom, but withdrew from knocking when he heard soft gasps and a continuous hum inside. It didn't take a genius to know what she was doing. Poor Jun! It had to be hard as hell to remain celibate, faithful, and pregnant!

_I should give her a nice surprise early tomorrow to take her mind off of everything…but what?_ Pyron thought.

A sparrow chirped outside the window of their winter home. He looked at it and smiled as inspiration for the perfect gift came to him. She would be giddy as a hummingbird when she saw it tomorrow.

XXXXXXX

The next morning the Tao heiress was woken up by a sizzling noise and a sweet scent from the kitchen. When she went down to the first floor she discovered that her boyfriend had set up the finest silverware and the good napkins with doves and ivy leaves sewn onto the corners. Meanwhile, a kyonshi servant had cooked a scrumptious stack of pancakes topped with strawberries and a bit of honey. However, the biggest surprise was a striking new coat that was draped over her chair. It was ruby red with small roses on each cuff and a flying sparrow on its front corner pocket.

"What's all this?" she asked.

"Breakfast," Pyron casually answered, "Oh-and a little gift I ordered from one of your catalogs. I was reminded of it when I saw a sparrow outside yesterday."

His beloved stared at the scene as though it was the Martian surface. Then, to his horror, he noticed miniscule pearl-like tears forming in the edge of her eyes. Crap!

"Oh, I'm sorry! Listen, I'm sure I can get this in a size you li-" he started to gabble.

"No," she interrupted with a quavering voice, "I'm just so touched."

Relief tumbled off of him. Thank goodness! His father had been right about women appreciating small gestures of kindness. The fair sex was delightfully puzzling sometimes.

"And here you were worried about never experiencing mood swings," he teased.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked crossly.

Uh-oh. Saying that to a pregnant woman was about as wise as sticking one's bare feet in a rattlesnake's nest.

"Ah…well…Jun? Jun, where are you going? Wait!" he cried.

Fortunately, her cell phone rang before she could storm off again. She inhaled deeply and said hello.

"Big sister," a masculine young voice greeted gruffly.

"Ren," she sighed happily, "How are you?"

"Irritated. The Asakuras want us to come to some foolish reunion at the onsen next week and I told Yoh I'd only come if you did. So…do you want to?" he asked reluctantly.

"Oh Ren, I think you just want an excuse to see your friend and still look macho," she teased.

"D-Don't be silly! I can't stand parties! Do you want to come or not?"

She started to say yes and then realized that her bump wasn't exactly inconspicuous. Anna would bombard her with questions about the twins's father and she couldn't lie for very long. Their father would be pretty obvious if one inherited that distinct clueless look he had when thinking or his razorblade earthen eyes. Not to mention the fact that she hadn't even told Ren yet.

Jun almost shuddered at the thought of her brother's reaction. Pyron was one of the few people he respected, but he might make sushi out of him if he knew he fathered two of her children. Then again, she had to tell the truth sometime and a public place would probably be the best to do it. Even Ren was much less likely that someone to blow a gasket in front of a crowd. All right, so he probably would…but he'd tone it down for her sake.

"Big sister? Are you there?" Ren said.

"Pyron and I would be happy to come," she answered.

XXXXXX

One week later the Tao siblings stood outside Funbari Onsen's door with their ghosts dressed in fancy new clothes. Ren was wearing a gold silk robe dotted with tiny leaves and a ying-yang on the back. His sister wore her new coat over a festive black and silver seasonal sweater with matching pants and ladies' loafers. However, the crowning glory was her queenly jade necklace and matching earrings.

"Oh Ren, you look so handsome," his sister cooed.

He flushed and growled, "This had better be worth it."

She just giggled and went inside. All of their old friends were there from the Shaman Fight: Horohoro, Pillica, Chocolove, the Fausts, Tamao, and Ryu.

"How are you?" Yoh happily asked the Taos.

Jun tensed up when Yoh hugged her but kept her cool and replied, "Fine. It's been so long. I heard you have a little boy now."

"Eh-hee-hee-hee! Yep, our little Hana is five years old and quite a handful," Yoh chuckled.

"He gets his laziness from you (2)," Anna added.

"Aww Anna," Yoh moaned.

"Hey if the shoe fits, wear it," the itako said coolly, "Anyway, several of us have families now."

"Really? Have Tamao and Kurama (3) had children?" Pyron inquired.

"Not yet," Yoh replied, "but-"

Just then a three-year-old girl with hazel eyes and a jet-black ponytail ran up and interrupted them.

"Hey, wanna see how tall I am?" she piped cheerfully.

Ren and Jun's eyebrows arched with surprise when Anis ran up and scolded, "Eden, I told you not to run away from me!"

"I'm sorry Mama; I just wanted to show 'em how tall I grew," the little girl said sadly.

"Eden? As in the infamous Garden?" Ren questioned.

The Arabian woman blushed and explained, "Ryu and I wanted to name our daughter after a famous paradise."

"D-Daughter?!" the shocked Taos and their ghosts screamed.

"That's what I was trying to tell you. Ryu and Anis have been married for quite a few years now," Yoh clarified.

None of them could hide their shock. Ryu, of all people, had gotten married! Ren and Bason's eyes darted nervously to the floor for they were certain icy winds would burst out from Hell any second. Good grief!

"Well, I think it's wonderful that you have such a lovely child," Jun said cheerfully, "Speaking of which, there's something I'd like to tell everyone."

"What?" asked Yoh.

The priestess took a deep breath and fiddled with her coat. Pyron's eyes widened to the size of satellite dishes. What the hell was his girlfriend thinking? Would she really reveal the secret now in front of her temperamental brother?

XXXXXXXX

2. If I've written Hana out-of character, please tell me. Most people assure me he's inherited Yoh's laziness, though.

3. Kurama and Tamao are already married in my Mankin settei/universe because I like them together. I might write another Yu Yu Hakusho/Mankin crossover explaining how they got together if I have the time. Jun already knew about Tamao's marriage, so it would be awkward for me to expose that with people talking about something they already knew about.


	4. Rising Suspicions and a Backyard Battle

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Four: Rising Suspicions and a Backyard Battle

"I…er…started feeling a little cold a few minutes ago. I don't know whether or not it might be something contagious so I hope you won't think it's rude if I don't take this off," she continued.

Pyron almost fell through the floor with relief. Thank goodness!

"Aww, too bad. Do you think you should go home?" Yoh questioned.

"No no," Jun quickly replied, "In fact, I think I'll be better once I start moving around and get my circulation going."

"Okay, if you say so. It was good to see you guys again," Yoh said.

Before the Asakuras returned to their host duties Anna glanced suspiciously back at her old friend. She could tell that Jun was hiding something from everyone. Yet if that was true then why didn't her brother seem nervous too? Ren was doing a fantastic job of keeping his mouth shut if he knew something.

"Big brother, don't drink from the punch bowl! What are you, a dog?" Pillica shouted.

Anna rolled her eyes and prepared to go whip the obnoxious bluenette with her beads. Sheesh! Why did Yoh have to befriend all the weirdoes?

XXXXXXXX

Pyron discreetly pulled the Chinese belle into one of Funbari Onsen's hallways and implored her not to worry him again a few minutes later.

"Sorry, I guess I don't know what I want to say. I was going to reveal the truth until I wondered how Ren would react," she admitted.

"Well, no one ever told us this would be easy," he said.

"I know," she sighed, "and I truly am ready to deal with anything. Still, sometimes all the resolve and preparation in the world can't prepare you for reality. It's like being scared of a hurricane even though you live in the city's sturdiest house."

"I agree, but bad news doesn't improve with age."

"Are you calling our daughters bad news?"

"Of course not. I'm just saying we'll have to decide when to tell everyone. By the way, I think it would be less disastrous if we did it in private first."

"You don't know for certain if Ren would be angry."

"Jun, look me in the eye and honestly tell me that your brother has enough social grace to control his temper in public."

"He would for me."

Although her tone was sincere her gaze was fixated on the hallway's smoked pearl carpet.

XXXXXX

Ren sat on the couch looking extremely bored and wondering why he came to this party. He liked large gatherings about as much as cats liked water. Yoh and Jun were the only normal people in the house and both of them had disappeared. He understood that his friend was the host, but couldn't figure out why his big sister wasn't chitchatting with her girlfriends. It wasn't like her to pass up such an opportunity.

Come to think of it, the priestess had been acting peculiar ever since she went on vacation with Pyron four months ago. Telephone calls were rare and constantly either cut short by excuses or about bare topics like the weather. It was as if she was almost afraid to talk to anyone.

Suddenly, a gut-churning thought struck him. What if her "loving" boyfriend was secretly a control freak? He'd known a woman who behaved almost identically back home, and it turned out she'd been physically and emotionally abused by her husband. He gritted his teeth and his biceps contracted with rage.

_It makes sense. He probably pretends to be nice and then hurts or brainwashes her behind my back because he's bitter about the past! Bastard!_ he seethed.

Arduously clenching his kwan-dao, he prepared to hunt the former actor down.

XXXXXX

"Listen," Pyron urged, "We have to solve this problem like rational adults. Now, how are we going to tell people we're going to be parents?"

"Let's wait until they're born," she responded.

"I said how, not when. Listen, we cannot hide our girls under nice coats for five more months. Your family will discover this before they are born, and when they do they'll want to know about the father."

"I'm just…"

"Having doubts?"

"No…I'm nervous about what they'll do. You've only seen glimpses of their cruelty. Their not above adding newborns to their kyonshi collection if they see them as ungodly or pests."

"What?!"

Presently there was an ear-splitting thump in the hallway. It was a plum faced Ren snorting like a maddened bull. How dare that corpse puppet bully his big sister! He would make him eat steel if it was the last thing he did!

"Ren, what on earth is the matter?" the alarmed woman asked.

"**Never****…****shout****…****her,**" he fumed, too angry to form complete sentences.

"Ren," she said as calmly as possible, "Pyron and I weren't fighting. We were-"

"Stay out of this. All right, what have you been doing to her? Whipping her with a belt? Brainwashing her? Why is my sister acting so secretive, you son of a bitch?" the golden-eyed man snarled.

"First of all, I would never hurt her. Moreover, some things are none of your business," Pyron said calmly.

"That's it! I challenge you to a fight in the backyard! If I win you must tell me what's going on!" Ren shouted

" Fine, but if I win you have to leave us alone. Just so you know, I have know wish to fight the brother of the woman I love, but I won't be pushed around," the zombie responded coldly.

**Thwack! **The back door slammed and they strode toward opposite ends of the yard. Jun's heart pounded wildly. Would they really fight each other during the party? She wished she could stop them, but her brother would fight someone whether they liked it or not. Meanwhile, the men were glaring at each other from opposite sides of the yard.

"You might have been a big movie star, but I'm afraid the script says you're going to lose in this feature!" Ren shouted.

His opponent remained silent.

"What's wrong? Don't have the balls to fight me after all?" the Tao heir mocked.

Pyron smirked and answered, "Don't you know anything, Ren Tao? The victor never needs to boast in a movie."

The zombie's purple battle aura flared as Ren fused with Bason and they charged toward each other. The shaman delivered a devastating right hook and Pyron leapt above the pines as though he had springs in his legs. His cocky opponent followed and prepared to impale him in midair. Fortunately, he wrenched the weapon away with nunchaku and sent him hurtling with an ICBM kick. Ren cursed as his body formed a crater and Pyron performed a Satellite Drop.

Blood splattered the ground as they butted heads. The actor flip-flopped away and roared when a China Zanmai slashed his stomach spilling kyonshi innards everywhere. Blow after blow was thrown until both fighters were near collapsing.

"You're good," Ren panted, "but let's see how you stack up against this! OVERSOUL: BASON IN KWAN DAO!!"

The zombie shielded his eyes from the painfully brilliant golden glow. His oversoul crackled with so much furyoku that it actually lit up the entire block for a second. Oh fuck!

"**GOLDEN CHINA ZANMAI!!**" Ren screamed.

Unable to see, Pyron was impaled though the shoulder and pinned to a tree in a flurry of golden explosions. He had lost. The couple was doomed because of him!

XXXXXX

This is the first fight scene I've ever written, so constructive criticism is especially appreciated. Loved it? Loathed it? Tell me what you think! See you in chapter five, everyone!


	5. The Cat Comes Out of the Bag

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Five: The Cat Comes Out of the Bag 

XXXXXX

_**CRASH!! **_Thousands of miles away, fifty-year-old En Tao threw his crystal against ball against the wall of Castle Tao and gritted his teeth.

"WHY DIDN'T HE FINISH THAT DAMNED CORPSE AND HIS FREAK CHILDREN OFF?!" he screamed.

"You assumed too much, En. Your son would never hurt his sister even to abort that kyonshi's children," said the ghost of Ching Tao.

"I can't believe this! How did I ever raise such softhearted fools?! Ren should have already killed those guinea pigs in her womb!" En spat.

"Have you forgotten that Ren became his own person a long time ago, my boy? If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you still have trouble accepting that," Ching said.

_Fwap-ap-ap! _En threateningly pulled out several ofuda with curses written on them, eyes bloodshot with rage. The spirit remained calm, knowing that he had hit the nail on the head. En wouldn't dare curse his own father.

"Go ahead," he continued nonchalantly, "but remember that I was the one who predicted that Jun's womb would house two monsters."

_You are __**very**__ lucky that I revere my elders so much or I would have unleashed my full wrath on you by now,_ he thought.

Ran, who had been watching the whole time, nervously tightened her grip on her fan. She did not like Jun's choice either, but was it really necessary to kill an innocent pair of unborn twins-no…her grandchildren? Of course, she knew better than to suggest that to her husband or father in-law.

"Fine, old man! However, if Ren won't take care of those things, then we will!" the former Tao head snarled.

"How do you propose to do that?" his father asked.

He smirked and replied, "Oh, you'll see. You'll see very very soon."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The tension in the plane cabin was thick enough to slice on the trip home. Anna had thrown Jun and the fighters out after the fight and her confession to Ren. She spent most of the ride time repairing her love's body. It was tedious work, but anything was better than talking to her brother at this point. The worst part was that Ren hadn't said anything when she finally told him. He just…stared at her belly as if it was something from Mars.

Pyron floated in spirit ball form over her shoulder, still furious with himself for losing. It was his job to protect three precious girls, and he couldn't even take care of one! If there was anything he hated it was knowing he was useless in any situation.

She dropped the needle with a soft _ker-plink _and grunted as she tried to pick it up. He shifted into human form and almost said 'let me' until he remembered his mortality. It was times like this that he hated being a ghost most of all. Ugh!

Before either of them knew it Ren walked in and tenderly picked it up for her. She gasped softly and almost thought that it meant he wasn't angry until he drew out Houraiken in her beloved's direction.

_Oh no, he's going to slice him in half! _she thought.

Yet he only hurled it at the wall just above Pyron's head

"Ren," she whispered nervously.

"I'm not angry with you, big sister. Instinct just got the better of you, and he could have talked you into reason," he said in an eerily calm tone.

"Despite what you might think, we made this decision with clear heads," she replied.

"Clear heads? CLEAR HEADS?! Good grief, this puppet really has brainwashed you! Big sister, your children should have come from someone worthy of such a classy lady!"

"Now wait just a damn minute-" Pyron began angrily.

"SHUT UP, YOU!! DO YOU HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA OF WHAT A MESS YOU'VE MADE?! THESE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO GROW UP EVEN _**MORE**_ HATED AND FEARED BECAUSE YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF A WOMAN'S MATERNAL INSTINCT!!" he roared.

"Tell me Ren Tao, did I ever tell you about the first time I ever tried to challenge my master?" he asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he snapped.

"I was a cocky eight year old who was better than any of the other boys in my class, so I decided that I was ready to fight adults. And of course, who better to challenge than Master Shamon himself? I charged him headlong in the middle of a class for the men, and he literally blocked me with his eyes shut. About half of them started snickering and murmuring things like 'What a bird-brained child! He'll never amount to anything.' and 'I don't see why the master tolerates such brats in the temple.' I was so humiliated that I actually believed them."

"Get to the fucking point."

"I will if you'll listen. Anyway, my master chastised me at first, but then admitted I had talent and offered to train me personally. He was the only grown person who took me seriously. I was so happy that I felt like bursting. Even though the other men were prejudiced against me, all that mattered was that the one I admired the most had faith."

"That's right, Ren. Our daughters will be discriminated against, but we are prepared to guide and love them," Jun added.

"I…I can't believe this. You're really going through with it," her brother murmured.

"_Master Ren, we'll be landing in five minutes. I'd advise you to get back to your seat,_" the pilot said over the intercom.

He glared at Pyron and hissed, "This is not over. When we get back to my sister's home you and I are going to have a long talk."

What none of them knew was that En already had an ugly surprise with rows of butcher knife sized teeth waiting for them.


	6. The Assassin Emerges

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Six: The Assassin Emerges

XXXXXXXXX

"Wait a minute, what did you just say to me?" an astonished Ren asked his sister.

"If you have a beef about this, please take it up with me, " Jun said politely but confidently, "It pains me that you cannot be happy. Why don't you see nieces instead of disasters? I won' t beg you to change your mind because I know you better that that…but I just want to know the answer to that."

For the first time since he knew about the pregnancy Ren Tao was speechless. His face twisted into frustration and a feeling that he now realized was gut-wrenching anxiety. He didn't really hate those girls. In fact, he wanted nothing more then for his sister to have a happy family. But how could she this way?

From day one they had endured abuse, persecution, humiliation, and supernatural forces. People didn't accept shamans, and loners like the Taos were especially easy targets. He was still haunted by memories like being held face down in the playground's sandbox, being shot by villagers, demonic encounters, and bloody Shaman Fights. It just wouldn't be fair to his nieces.

"Never mind," he said.

XXXXXXXXX

A few minutes later the pregnant woman was in her study writing an apology letter to Yoh and Anna and eating orange slices. She sighed in frustration. Why were the right words so hard to find?

" 'Forgive me for the mess. I'll pay for everything.' No, that sounds like I'm just making it a financial matter. 'A thousand pardons. We're utterly ashamed of ourselves for ruining your party.' No…that's too melodramatic," she murmured.

Her thought process was interrupted by a peculiar _**hccck**_ sound from above. She curiously arched an eyebrow. Was that scratching or ripping?

"One of them must be taking out their stress on an innocent newspaper upstairs," Jun mused drolly, "Now where was I? Oh yes: 'A thous-'"

_**Hccck! **_It was louder this time.

" 'A thous-'"

_**HCCCK!!**_

The shaman exhaled sharply, angrily bit an orange slice, and promptly yelped in pain. She instantly scolded herself for not eating more carefully. Now that she was in her second trimester her gums were as tender as strawberries. The dao-shi sighed again and got some Orajel from her bathroom. Bliss instantly wafted out. Some slight bleeding left a metallic aftertaste and salty smell, but she paid no attention to it.

Before she could exit, she slipped on a large puddle in the doorway. She gasped and waited to slam into bone hard wood, but landed in a net of two arms instead. It was Pyron.

"At your service, m'lady," he said charmingly.

She blushed and asked, "Did you hear me gasp?"

"Gasp? Why no, I just happened to be here when I came to see what was behind that increasingly loud scratching. What happened?" he said.

"You mean that wasn't you or Ren?"

"No."

Before the conversation could continue, she realized that the salty bloody smell had not gone away. She swallowed a boulder of nervousness and looked down. It couldn't be…

Jun had slipped in a puddle of blood…and it was not from tender gums. A large rat with its mouth still open from squeaking in agony had been killed in the bathroom.

"We're not alone," Jun said ominously.

"I know. Stand back," he coolly ordered.

Once again the noise increased, and whatever was behind it was about to burst through the ceiling. It crackled and slowly crumbled away like brittle human bones.

_**CRACK-A-BLAM!!**_ Suddenly, half a dozen monstrous tiger kyonshi exploded out! Slobber dripped from their fangs and their dagger-like claws glowed wickedly under the chandelier. Roaring thunderously, they leapt at the couple with the speed of an F-14!

"RUN!" he screamed, shielding her.

She tore down the hall. Three of them mauled him at once, and he used all of his strength to punch one in the stomach and roll away. It grunted and ripped some drapes down in an attempt to swipe him. _**Slash! Thud!**_

"REN! (huff, huff, huff) REN, _HELP!!_ " Jun screamed.

Just then, the dao-shi heard her boyfriend groan. She whirled around and gasped sharply. Two tiger kyonshi had managed to pin him down!

"Pyron!" she shouted.

_**Whump!**_ Suddenly, one leapt in front of her! Oh shit, now she couldn't escape!

The priestess flinched and thought, _We're done for!_

It roared and raised its claws… only to be demolished from behind by a familiar kwan-dao.

"Ren!" she breathed.

Ren slashed Pyron's captors into dust and shouted, "En must have figured this out somehow! I'll hold them off! You take my sister away in the jet!"

The zombie slung her over his shoulder and fled more swiftly than Mercury. The remaining beasts circled around Ren and simultaneously charged. _**Thwack!**_ One was slammed into the wall!

"Arrrggh!" Ren screamed as his midriff got swiped.

He wobbled and failed miserably at a counterattack. With a blood-curdling roar, the last tiger butted him into the wall and knocked him out.

"Ren!" his sister cried.

"It's too dangerous to go back!" the kyonshi shouted.

"No! REN! _**REEENNN!!**_"

XXXXXXXXX


	7. Virgo, Isis, Weakened Mother

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Seven: Virgo, Isis, Weakened Mother

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Please go back! We can't leave my brother wounded!" Jun begged.

He planted her down and exclaimed, "Listen! You must accept that we had to leave him behind for the sake of our unborn children! I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is. Ren's not a boy anymore; I assure you he can take care of himself."

She breathed deeply a few times and then leapt on the plane with him. He was right. She just had to have faith in her brother. He'd already died once before, so how hard could this be?

"_Mistress Jun, why the spontaneous journey? Where do you need to go?_" the pilot asked.

"Somewhere you can never tell anyone else about," she responded.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hours later they landed on a three-mile long private island not too far from Siquijor, The Philippines. (4) Palm trees dotted its snow-white shores and a sapphire lagoon graced the middle. Of course, it would have been a lot more beautiful if it were not immersed in fog.

_We might as well be in __The Odyssey__, _Pyron mused, _My pregnant partner has no one but me to depend on, and we're in a place that could easily pass for the ancient Greek Underworld. The only differences are that we're still together and there are no blood drinking spirits around. _

No sooner had he made that last assumption then he spotted a transparent old man floating in tattered rags!

"My gosh! Jun, where are we? Is this island haunted?" he questioned.

"Yes," she answered, "That's why no one else wanted to buy it. It was a present for my seventh birthday. We'll be staying in a cabin across the lagoon, but I need to conceal our whereabouts first."

"How? Since this was a present your family will know where we are for certain," he pointed out.

"Not if I can pull this off," she said while pulling four ofuda from her satchel.

"Pull what off?"

"You'll see. Just stand back."

His eyes shot open in alarm as his girlfriend picked up a sharp stone and slashed her palm. But before he could run to her she spun around and splattered the blood in a circle. Next, the charms were placed at northern, southern, eastern, and western points on it and she traced an arc in the air with her clean hand. Then, with all her strength, she trilled the name Lu Dongbin. Slowly but surely, the ofuda began to glow.

"I, N, R, I. Yod, Nun, Resh, Yod! Virgo, Isis, Mighty Mother! Scorpio, Apophis, the destroyer! Let the divine light descend!" she chanted.

All of a sudden, a great golden column fell onto her and seemed to melt across the entire island. (5) The zombie shielded his eyes and grunted painfully as the ground quaked. What on Earth had she just done? Once everything cleared he only saw dust…and his love lying on the ground. Nauseous with horror, he rushed over and cradled her in his arms.

"Jun! Oh no, Jun!" he exclaimed.

She presently stirred, and he wasn't sure whether to kiss or shake her.

"There. That's…the strongest…cloaking spell I know. Neither the most advanced technology… nor the…most powerful magic…should be able to detect us," she said weakly.

"Well, why didn't you just do that in the first place instead of being anywhere near your family?" he said mildly disgustedly.

"Takes…two-thirds of…my furyoku," she murmured.

He crinkled his face in stress and then softly said, "Come on. I'll row us over to the cabin."

XXXXXXXXXXX

The one room two-story cabin was rustic and charming. A ladder took the occupant up to the second floor, which was really just a floorboard with a large hole in the middle that was barely big enough to walk vertically or sleep on. Many of Jun's old dolls were up there, including a favorite Cinderella one. It was a perfect place to escape; the dao-shi couldn't think of any place she would rather be than on the velvety downstairs couch.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

"A little," she lied.

"Good," he replied listlessly.

"What's the matter?"

"Nothing. I'm just bored."

A weight of shame suddenly attached itself to her. The White Dragon had been bottling in anxiety the whole time, and she hadn't even noticed. For the last few months he had loved, soothed, and spoiled her. What had she contributed to the relationship?

She beckoned him over and embraced him.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I know," he replied.

"I mean it. Please forgive me for my childish behavior. You've been so patient with me and I know you'll make the world's best father."

"Thank you, but I wouldn't call it chil-"

She put a finger on his lips and pressed him against her shoulder.

" I am a master of spells, Lee Pyron, but you are the one thing that can enchant me. I swear I'll take care of you… forever," she whispered.

"Jun…"

Comforted by her promise, he closed his eyes and let her rock him gently. Her love baked him from inside out, and for a second he could have sworn she made his heart beat one more time. Pleasant memories of their relationship swirled around his brain: their first kiss, watching the waterfall on the way to Patch Village, and countless Valentine's Days. Little did they know that mother and twins would know the true meaning of the word panic tomorrow.

XXXXXXXX

"Good morning," he greeted her happily.

"No morning is good for a five-hundred kilogram (6) heifer like me," she sulked while snatching the orange juice from the icebox.

_Uh-oh, she's having another mood swing,_ the zombie realized.

"It's barely noticeable," he said innocently.

"How is this unnoticeable?" she moaned softly.

The priestess slapped her basketball-sized belly for emphasis. Pyron could see why she was upset, but did not dare speak again. What she saw as a sack of blubber was an extra cuddly tummy to him, but it was futile to try to cheer a pregnant woman up. She needed a distraction.

"You know, I'm curious about the lagoon. Do you want to go there after breakfast?" he offered.

"I don't know," she sighed.

"Think about it. You can take a swim while I meditate on the beach or we could watch the waves."

"Well…a swim does sound refreshing."

"Then it's settled. Let's get ready."

Jun finished eating and her head slumped forward as though an invisible chain was dragging it down. Dammit, why was she still so weary? Even though the cloaking spell was draining a good night's sleep should have recharged a furyoku supply for a shaman as powerful as she. Her pregnancy books said that fatigue was a common symptom for mothers of multiples, but she had never been this tired before.

_Oh well, the water will rejuvenate me,_ she decided.

XXXXXXXXX

It did indeed. The tropical lagoon was as warm as summer sunshine and perfect for collecting seashells or exploring coral reefs. A school of tiny emerald and silver colored fish swam past her thighs, and the light glimmered off of fuchsia coral. It surprised her that such a tiny ecosystem could literally house all colors of the rainbow. What bliss!

_It's not home, but it's a very nice temporary solution. I think I'll add two extra cabins for the girls for when they get big enough,_ Jun thought.

She floated on her back and shielded her eyes with one hand when they met the harsh sun. Dammit, why hadn't she brought sunglasses? Facing the light made her feel like a weak newborn kitten.

_Should I wade again? Hmm…no. I'm bound to eventually drift out of the sun. Besides, these waves are more comfortable then my goose-feather cushions back home…and I'm still…so…tired,_ she decided.

Unbeknownst to either her or her children's father, the Tao woman became so exhausted that she slipped soundlessly underwater.

XXXXXXXXXX

4. I am well aware such a place does not exist, but it was the best hideout I could imagine. I almost had them hide out in Siquijor since they'd be at home with all of its supernatural history, but realized it would be too populated to be a logical choice.

5. If you think this spell sounds familiar, you're right. I abridged the Rose Cross Ritual and added a few differences.

6. A little over a thousand pounds


	8. Salvation for Sheng Ju

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Eight: Salvation for Sheng Ju

XXXXXXXXX

"Damn," Ren swore, "Is… there anything… the old man won't do to… get his way?"

He was currently knocked over on the icy tile floor. The big cat's humid breath and thick drippy saliva puffed into his face and stung his wounds. Son of a bitch! He could have demolished a little kyonshi like this within seconds if he wasn't so focused on the pain.

No! He was the great Ren Tao and he would be damned if a little thing like this stop him! Besides, this situation with his sister could not go any more awry! Heaven knows what else En could have done! What if he had summoned a demon to decapitate Jun, drive her to suicide, or rape her?

"I…am…stronger…than…this! BASON!!" he shouted.

"As you wish, young master!" Bason said.

Ren's veins bulged and he bit his tongue hard enough to taste blood as he put all his strength into an oversoul. _**Ka-chow, ka-chow, ka-chooowww!! **_A thunderstorm of shining furyoku filled the room, and the remaining predator was instantly destroyed.

"Heh. Who's… got… claws… now?" he huffed.

XXXXXXXX

All at once, an instinctive flash of dread interrupted Lee Pyron's meditation. It was as if his love's spirit was screaming out to him. When he noticed she was nowhere to be found, he abandoned his body and scanned for her by sky. To his horror, she was flailing deep about ten feet underwater.

He shot down like a lightning bolt to possess her, and immediately wished he hadn't. It felt like she hadn't eaten in three days and her lungs were water balloons in danger of bursting any minute. He had no idea how weak she had gotten!

Forcing the body into survival mode, Jun/Pyron ignored the harsh saltwater in her/his eyes and swam back as though trying to escape the Furies. After what felt like a millennium, he dragged her body onto land and came out. Even though she was pale and coughing up saltwater, she was alive.

"We need to get you to a doctor," he eventually said.

"No! _Hack!_ Pyron, we'll leave a trail," Jun protested.

"Forget about trails. First of all, you almost drowned. Plus, I felt your fatigue from the combination of the spell and pregnancy. We're going."

"I'm breathing, aren't I?"

"Do you hear yourself?"

"I know I sound foolish, but it's too risky. I'll tell you what: Let's wait one day to see if I improve. Please? Just one day."

Jun loathed begging, but they had a genuine dilemma on their hands.

"Fine," Pyron reluctantly relented, "But I'm only doing this because I see your cheeks regaining color."

XXXXXXXXXXX

After staggering to the medical wing and resting for about half an hour (7), Ren plotted what to do next.

"Pyron is strong, but he's no match for whatever else En might throw at him," he mused aloud, "I don't like what that corpse puppet did…but… I'm not heartless enough to support abortion either. Bason, where did my big sister tell the pilot to fly?"

"I-I do not know, young master. I only heard her cry out your name as she was being carried off," Bason replied.

"You FOOL! Arrrggh, must I do everything myself?" he seethed.

The enraged young Chinese man punched a hole in the wall and went outside to search for any clues or witnesses to his sister's location. The mountains were bare and chilly and the only signs of life were moss or the occasional bird of prey circling overhead. Damn! Finding clues here was as futile as trying to get Yoh to do housework.

_Hmm…Maybe Big Sister has that pilot's phone number stashed away somewhere,_ he pondered.

However, before the Tao heir could search inside he heard a male voice cry for help amongst the rocks.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The ivy-haired woman's energy slowly returned after she slept for a day. Her partner insisted on constant bed rest, and reminded her that mothers of twins needed more than the average pregnant woman. Jun had always fantasized about never leaving bed…until now.

She sighed and scratched her knee for the billionth time. It was just her luck to get the worst pregnancy ailments in the book: mood swings, fatigue, and itchy skin. The boredom didn't help either. How she wished she could simply doze the next trimester and a half away!

Suddenly, her stomach started to twitch repeatedly. She made a surprised little _whoop_ sound and sat up. What were those alien sensations? They were too painless and rapid to be false contractions or kicks.

"Could it be…? Pyron! Pyron, come here!" she said excitedly.

He walked over and asked, "What is it?"

"Feel this. I think our girls have their first case of the hiccups," she laughed.

He put his gigantic palm over her stomach and beamed. Jun was right!

"Wow," he murmured warmly, "We'll have to write this down."

She took his face in her hands and kissed him sweetly. Milestones like these made all of the hardships worth it.

"I love you," she told him, "Our girls our going to be perfect little pearls because they have the perfect father."

"That's it!" he declared, eyes lighting up.

"What's it?"

"Perfection and Pearl will be their names: Wan Mei and Zhen Zhu. What do you think? No girls in China will have more original names."

"I think we have an agreement."

XXXXXXXXXX

Ren stopped dead in his tracks. The last thing he needed was an injured person to carry around. Then again…the victim might have had some information. He sighed and climbed toward the voice.

"Who's there?!" Ren shouted.

"Hello? Hello, please help me!" the man screamed again.

"Where are you?!"

"ARRGH!! I…I don't know! I'm trapped! Come quickly!"

"Keep shouting!"

Ren soon discovered that the stranger's arm was pinned beneath a boulder and he quickly pushed it off. The man screamed and his eyes watered in agony. His arm was bent grotesquely at a right angle. Something had to be done immediately.

"Be quiet and hold still!" Ren snapped.

The shaman gave him a vial of medicine he kept in his pocket for emergencies and fashioned a sling out of a ripped piece of his shirt. He studied the victim for about five minutes as he calmed down. He was in his early thirties, dressed in various furs, and his nose was as big as a sausage. This man clearly wasn't the worldly type.

"Thank you so much for rescuing me, young man. My name is Sheng Ju Hui, and I was trapped under that rock while trying to escape from some dangerous tiger kyonshi," he panted.

"Are you also a shaman?" Ren questioned.

"Yes. Astrology is my specialty, and I came to these mountains for some spiritual train-"

"I have no time for your life story! Look, tell me if you saw a small jet a few minutes ago."

"Are you talking about the one headed south?"

"South, hmm? Listen, my sister was on that plane and she's being pursued. If you really want to repay me, help me get to her. I'd call on some closer friends, but I don't have the time. Do you have any abilities which could help us track her down?"

"No. However…I know someone very powerful who can.

XXXXXXXXXXX

7. Just suspend your disbelief about his quick recovery. Ren likes to take action even when he's injured, as seen after Yoh and company saved him.


	9. Lions and Labor

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Nine: Lions and Labor

"Who? How far away is this person?" Ren asked.

"He's my former mentor who lives on the other side of this range. However, I must warn you that he…er… might not exactly invite you in for a cup of tea," Sheng Ju answered.

"Hermit?"

"Yes. It took a year and a half of begging and stubbornness just to get him to take me under his wing."

"Peh! I don't beg; I threaten."

"You say that, but-"

Before he could finish Ren snapped his fingers and two horse kyonshi galloped toward them with loud whickers. The shocked astrologer steadied himself against a rock and wondered how someone barely over twenty could summon such powerful animal spirits with a mere gesture. Such power was almost unheard of these days!

"Well? Get on and lead the way! We don't have all day, you know!" the scion snapped.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, Pyron was attempting to bring down a banana tree outside of the cabin using nothing but his daodan-do moves. Although thousands of blows rained on it he hadn't managed to do anything more than chip the bark a little. Did the trunk even have a weak point? He paused and rubbed his fist thoughtfully.

_Sometimes an opponent's greatest weakness is invisible to the naked eye: like a phobia. Trees can't get scared, but there must be some faulty spot I'm overlooking. How can I get to the root of this problem? To…to the root! _he realized triumphantly.

He pictured himself as a missile and destroyed the sandy foundation with one mighty huo jian kick. The banana tree's leaves and fruit scattered everywhere as it toppled over with a groan. He smiled. It was just a practice exercise, but the fact that he accomplished something new was reason enough to be happy.

Just then he heard his love clapping behind him. He felt his heart melt and bowed politely. Was there any better audience?

"Well hello," she said flirtatiously, "I'm a big fan."

"Likewise, miss," he replied, kissing her hand.

"I just came to tell you that I've thought about the lagoon incident five weeks ago, and decided to leave at the end of the second trimester so I can get proper medical care. I hate to lift the spell early, but I can't give birth here."

"Good for you. I was going to bring that up anyway."

"I used to be nervous about En, but whenever I think about Wan Mei and Zhen Zhu now I…I become a lioness. If he even thinks about touching them… I'm afraid I'll have to add him to my kyonshi collection."

Her tone was the same eerily smooth one she had used when she was ready to kill Yoh. If Pyron had seen a glimpse of the old Jun at any other time he would have feared she would completely regress. Now her fierce maternal instinct filled him with pride. Her bravery was just one of her endlessly loveable traits.

"Yes. We'll protect and nurture them together as lion and lioness," he agreed before pulling her into a passionate kiss.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ren and Sheng Ju, who had been traveling all of that time, were presently drinking tea in a low altitude campsite under the stars. Perhaps the climate was taking its toll, but the younger man was beginning to doubt that they would reach the hermit tomorrow. Not an insect stirred on the mountains, so how could a shaman survive out there alone? Of course he could, but he was the mighty Ren Tao.

"You are extremely powerful for someone your age," said the astrologer, "Please tell me who taught you these techniques."

Ren shifted his eyes down in embarrassment for a tiny split second before he replied, "I don't want to admit it, but it was one of my first friends ever. We started out as rivals and I made the mistake of believing he was a lazy weakling. When he defeated me in a Shaman Fight match he taught me the value of friendship and knowing your limits. Heh! I never imagined getting along with someone like him."

"Did he teach you to increase your furyoku so massively as well?"

"Ha! That comes to the Taos naturally. I have enough furyoku stored within me to support half of the universe if I wanted to."

Sheng Ju was so surprised that he choked on his drink.

"Tao?! You're part of the-_hack_-Tao family?! N-No wonder you're so strong. Why didn't you tell me your last name before?"

"You didn't ask."

Out of nowhere he bent his head and shook as uncontrollably as an epileptic. He slammed his hands down so hard on the ground that they bled. The golden-eyed shaman's heart jolted with dread. Shit, was his guide going crazy?

"Sheng Ju? Snap out of it, you fool!" Ren demanded.

He shook him with all his might, and when that failed he shot him into their tent with a left hook. Eyes rolled back, he groaned and asked Ren what he just did.

"That's what I'd like you to tell me," he snapped.

"I-I was in the middle of a vision. For months the stars have sent me grave recurring images of a yin-yang splitting in half and then burning. Now I fear it means two of your family members may separate and d-die shortly afterward," he stammered.

"Dammit! Big sister or her children could be-Wait a minute. How did you figure out my family's symbol?"

"Well… ah…any cleric worth his salt knows that a yin-yang either symbolizes Daoism or the most powerful shaman clan in China. The vision's meaning makes sense now that I know your history. Fate must have chosen me to warn you."

Ren's face contorted with frustration and monstrous anxiety as he clenched his fists. He could see snow clouds slowly censoring the starlight. Perhaps a freak blizzard was coming. Of course, he was worried more about a delay than his health.

_Big sister,_ he silently swore,_ I will find out where you are by tomorrow come snow or fire._

XXXXXXX

Jun sighed loudly. It was four twenty-three A.M. and her lower back felt like a snake was constricting around it painfully slowly. She'd tried sleeping on the couch, in the tub, and even standing up. What was wrong? Nothing she'd read stated that such symptoms occurred in the second trimester.

_Oh, I wish I had had a doctor during the last two months. Books can only do so much,_ she thought.

Suddenly, a watery substance gushed out of her vagina! Dread twisted around her gullet and she turned on the light. To her horror, the liquid was crystal clear. No! It was too soon for her water to have broken!

_**Wham!**_ The first contraction was two steel balls of agony rolling from her back to her stomach. The dao-shi dug her nails into her palms and dropped to her knees. She tried to shout, but the room was spinning.

_I can't believe it! I'm going into labor three months early on a deserted island!_ she panicked.


	10. Betrayal Amongst the Stars

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Ten: Betrayal Amongst the Stars

"Aggh! Pyron, they're coming early!" she shouted.

He rushed into the room and cried, "What?! How can that be?!"

She groaned and enveloped her cramping belly. Even if she were fluent in every language that had ever existed no words could describe her pain and fear now. Dammit!

"All right, we can handle this! I'll just go get the pilot in the guest house," he declared.

She had no time to protest as he raced off into the night like a torpedo.

XXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, her brother had shaken his partner awake at camp.

He rubbed his eyes and mumbled, "What time is it?"

"Time to get moving," Ren answered, "Pack your things or I'll go find the old man myself."

The monk scowled and begrudgingly got up. He didn't see why Ren still treated him so authoritatively. After all, his arm was almost completely healed. He would have abandoned such a snotty companion long ago if he weren't so grateful.

"Little brat," he grumbled, "The things I go through for the sake of-"

_**Shwing!**_ Out of nowhere, the violet-haired man brandished his weapon an inch away from his chest. The monk yelped and quivered. What the hell was wrong with this kid?

"If you have something to say, say it to my face," Ren said icily.

"Oh n-no! I h-have no problems!" he stammered.

"Good. Let's move it," he said.

Sheng Ju snorted and thought, _Yes, let's. Just keep trifling with me, Ren Tao._

XXXXXXXXX

Fifteen minutes later (for the trek's last part was very short for such strong people) they rode up to the hermit's ominous brown cave. A makeshift fur door hung about its mouth and a chipped pestle lied outside. However, no one answered when the monk called. He shifted restlessly.

"I don't understand," he murmured, "My master's never ignored me before."

"He's probably out gathering food or meditating," Ren replied.

He shook his head and replied, "No. He grows mushrooms inside and he wouldn't meditate very far away from here because of his age."

The word ages spun the Tao's stomach. If he was correct there was a strong chance that the old man was dead by now. He took a few deep breaths and urged himself not to scream and cause an avalanche.

"Tell me," Ren asked laconically, "exactly how old is your mentor?"

"I…don't know. By now he could be in his eighties," he replied.

"**COULD?! **I DIDN'T TRAVEL THIS LONG OR SAVE YOUR ASS FOR A '**COULD**'**!!**" he roared.

"That's enough! As generous as you were, that does not give you the right to scream at me for something I was never told!"

Suddenly, a raspy voice interrupted, "Eighty-nine."

They whipped their heads toward the cave and saw that its owner was a bony brown raisin of a man in a loincloth with a beard that reached the middle of his chest. Ren could tell he was very wise yet cynical from his hardened gray eyes. This old man had probably dealt with hundreds of evil spirits and people alike. He hobbled outside and stared at them distrustfully for about half a minute.

"Eighty-nine tomorrow, that is. Though I have a feeling you didn't come here to deliver a birthday present," the hermit finally sneered.

"Master…I… "Sheng Ju began.

"Silence! You think you can come crawling back to me, you rebellious little bastard? Go home!" he barked.

"I know we've had our differences, but I need you to help this young man find his sister with the wén spell," he begged.

A thunderous crack echoed through the mountains as he slapped his former pupil. Ren flinched.

"How dare you ask me that! I'll bet you didn't tell him what you have to sacrifice for it to work either!" he exclaimed.

"What?" the youngest asked.

"You don't want to know. Go home," the old man repeated.

"I'm not afraid of sacrifices. Tell me…or I'll have to use some unfriendly persuasion."

"Very well. It's literally years of your life."

XXXXXXXXXXX

The priestess was on the floor ready to burst. How could this have happened? Where did they go wrong? Was this God's way of punishing them for tampering with nature?

"Calm down," she told herself, "He'll be back any second. You can do this!"

She forced herself to lean against the wall and squat. Perhaps gravity would give her a little relief until she got her cesarean section. The tiny coherent corner of her brain was divided between breathing properly and trying to remember if they were bigger then the palm of her hand by now. Puffing like a steam engine, she swore that she would staple herself shut for three months if it meant they needed more time to be warm and safe.

Surprisingly, Jun wasn't afraid of her babies dying because she knew it would happen to all of her loved ones. What scared her was how early it might happen.

"They're…my girls. Not heaven's…mine!" she breathed fiercely.

XXXXXXXXXX

"What do you mean 'literally years of your life'?" Ren questioned.

" I can tell you're a shaman too, my boy, and a sharp one at that. Think. What's a shaman's life energy called?" he responded.

"Furyoku, of cou-"

He suddenly understood. If he wanted to save her he would have to give up so much furyoku that he could actually grow older within minutes. Well, it didn't matter. Jun was his candle in the darkness.

"How do I do it?" he asked quietly.

"Concentrate and astrally project all of your furyoku and your soul for five minutes," he instructed.

"In short, temporarily kill myself."

"Wait! Aren't you going to assist him, master? That way he'll age less," Sheng Ju said disbelievingly.

"Why should I? She's not my sister, " his mentor replied.

"Fine! I'll help him," he declared.

He slapped him again and shouted, "You fool! You can't handle the wén spell!"

The astrologer rubbed his cheek and teared up from bittersweet pain. For just a tiny split second their bond had rekindled. His teacher…his teacher still cared about him in an exasperated sort of way. He swallowed the lump in his throat as memories of their years together washed over him.

"_I'm not leaving until you train me!"_

"_I can't predict the weather; I just can't!"_

"_Yes you can, boy. You've just got to quit thinking of it in material terms. Remember to let the nature spirits guide you."_

"_That's it! You're gaining more control!"_

"_I don't have to listen to you, old man! I'm fifteen!"_

"Does…this mean…you want to help us?" he asked sotto voce.

The old man seemed to blush and grumbled, "Only because I want to teach you that it's better to be safe then sorry. Besides, I'm not scared of losing what few years I have left."

"Are you lovebirds going to talk all day or give me a hand?!" Ren snapped.

"Right. Let's begin," the hermit instructed.

Their heartbeats were hummingbird's wings as they joined hands and inhaled deeply three times. This was it. Ren knew he could come out of this one hundred years old. Would it be worth it if he became too elderly and weak to rescue his sister?

_Fuck it,_ he thought, _I'm ready._

They inhaled three times in unison and screamed as their furyoku and souls shot into oblivion like rockets. Everything was chaotic for a few seconds. At first they were involuntarily racing through a blood red wormhole filled with voices speaking in every language, and then their souls appeared in outer space itself. Ren cursed as a shooting star whizzed right through him and looked down at the Earth. How was he supposed to find Jun this way?

"**BIG SISTER!!**" he screamed.

Two rays of his furyoku echoed onto the Earth with his voice. There was no sign of Jun or Pyron until he heard a loud _**crack**_ and an image of a tropical island came into his mind.

"What the?" Ren murmured.

"I sensed it too. That's where she is. She'd erected a magical shield around the island, but has weakened so badly that it's starting to crumble," Sheng Ju explained.

"Really?"

"Oh yes. Thank you so much, Ren Tao. Your father and I have her and her bastard children right where we want them now."

With that, he smirked and he demolished the hermit's soul with a blast of orange furyoku.


	11. Tick Tock, Tick Tock

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Eleven: Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Wh-What?! Why did you do that?! Exactly who are you?!" the scion shouted.

"I might as well tell you before I return to the physical plane. Your father paid me handsomely to be a mercenary and assassin. We couldn't find your slutty little sister after my tiger kyonshi failed to get her so I pretended to befriend you so we could visit my old master," the traitor explained.

"But you were already near him! Why didn't you go alone and beat her location out of him if you knew he could find her?" Ren asked.

"We couldn't risk you finding her first somehow. Besides, he would have died before telling me anything. We hate each other," he said.

"Let me guess. You went so far as to break your own arm for show too."

"Heh, heh, heh! Right again! Don't worry. Maybe I'll leave enough particles of your soul to let you reincarnate in ten-thousand years!"

The monk laughed maniacally and fired at Ren. He barely had the strength left to scream as his spirit ripped apart like a pair of old pajamas. How could a measly gnat like this have bested him? He'd planned to die after a glorious battle with China's most powerful demon or fade in his sleep at one hundred! This couldn't be the way he'd meet his end! He was a failure as a fighter…and a sibling.

XXXXXX

The White Dragon tore across the island for half an hour annihilating the vegetation in his path. The walls of trunks and curtains of saw palmettos were as endless as outer space. Even the birds seemed to mock him with their hoarse caws. Oh, why did the fastest route to the guesthouse have to include a tropical thicket?

"**WACHOOOHHH!!**" he screamed as he uprooted a sapling with his nunchaku.

He blocked his face as two frightened indigo birds almost flew into him and then chopped a thick vine away. Hope pumped through his veins as he reached a clearing until a vine ensnared his foot and pulled him fifteen feet into the air. Son of a bitch!

"Remember the first rule of martial arts," he instructed himself, "**Never** lose your head! **HAAHH!!**"

He broke off the entire branch by spinning three times in midair and bit off the vine upon landing. Suddenly, his heart soared. The guesthouse was finally on the horizon and it was less than half a block away! Inflamed with love and paternal instinct, the kyonshi's legs became springs and he sailed effortlessly onto the roof.

_At last!_ _It's going to be okay!_ he thought.

He slid off and banged on the door, but no one answered.

"Come out! This is an emergency!" he shouted.

When there was still no answer he kicked the door in…and was horrified to discover the pilot's mauled corpse on the floor. Some wild animal had broken in and killed him by suffocation.

"No…" Pyron whispered.

XXXXXX

Back on the mountains, Sheng Ju and En were talking via crystal ball.

"I would dearly love to have to have your son's head as a trophy, sir. Do you think we can consider that my bonus?" the monk asked.

"No! My children's bodies will be destroyed my own way because they have never been anything but embarrassments to the family. However, you may keep the fetuses if you like," En replied.

"Splendid! They should look beautiful in a jar on my mantle," he said with a twisted grin.

"Have you taken all precautions against escape?" En asked.

"Yes. My tiger kyonshi are much faster then they were when they were alive, so once I found her it was easy to send one. I guarantee it's already killed her pilot."

"Good. I will provide our fastest jet for you so you can finish the job. This will teach Jun to taint the Tao bloodline!"

XXXXX

Up was down. Black was white. Open was shut. Nothing made sense to Lee Pyron then! How could such a huge creature exist on such a tiny island and why the hell hadn't they noticed it? Now the princess of his heart and mother of could either lose their children…or…

He clenched his fist and growled, "Get a grip and think! Arrrggh! This will end disastrously unless…no. We don't know how to perform home births…but what choice do we have?"

Pyron walked outside and gazed anxiously at the ocean. Dawn would stretch its legs very soon and he wanted nothing more than to shove it back with his bare hands. For once a new day was about as promising as a tornado. He knelt in the sand and clasped his hands.

"I have always tried to be a spiritual man. Even in death I have strived to attain a higher level through perfecting my daodan-do. If none of my other prayers are ever answered, please answer this one: Let all three of them live. I swear to perform five good deeds every day for the rest of my existence if they do," he begged of whatever deity might be listening.

XXXXX

Thirty minutes later he was holding his love's hand and trying to make her as comfortable as possible. Every time she whimpered or yelped he wanted to cry. All he could do was put on a mask of bravery and keep praying. She moaned and pushed until her face turned scarlet.

"Shhh," he soothed.

"Don't you dare shush meee_eeaaagghh_! (huff, huff, huff) Look at what I'm going through! I'll…(huff, huff) set a world record for noise if I want to," Jun shot back.

"You can do this," he murmured gently.

The pine-haired woman growled at him and pushed again. How dare he talk as though this were easy! It was no use! Delivering twins naturally was more futile then trying to turn a lump of coal into gold!

Out of nowhere, the door burst open. A large nosed Chinese man dressed in different fur was standing there with a smirk on his face.

"Well, well, well. It looks like you made a reservation for two, miss. Unfortunately, your family has sent me to cancel it," he sneered.

He prepared to fire at the mother to be.

XXXXX


	12. Fading Pearls and Joy's Name

**Miraculous Taboo**

A fanfic by Setsumi-san

Chapter Twelve: Fading Pearls and Joy's Name

XXXXXXXXXX

Pyron shielded her in a flash and was thrown against the wall. She screamed. What was going on? She tried to run to his aid, but another contraction instantly brought her to her knees.

"How cute," Sheng Ju sneered, "It's sad, really. I was expecting more from your family's finest weapon."

Panting, Jun scampered against the wall and glared. He deliberately sauntered toward her with an indecisive look on his face, as though he were a maid trying to decide whether or not it was worth it to scrub a very tiny spot out of a nice shirt, before strangling her. She gagged and wriggled helplessly in his grip. If she weren't in labor now they could have easily taken on this freak together. Suddenly, he cried out in agony and let go as a powerful kick was delivered to his back. It was Pyron.

"I don't know who you are or how you got here, but I won't let you hurt the woman I love," the kyonshi declared.

He kicked his opponent outside and grunted when a blast singed his arm. Crap, how could he outsmart someone whose attacks used raw energy? He might not be able to die, but he had someone precious to protect! Just as he was about to be overwhelmed, several weapons erupted from the ground and a chui (8) dislocated his knee from the back. The kyonshi slowly opened his eyes and immediately felt a surge of confidence. Ren Tao had come to the rescue!

"H-How?" the monk croaked.

"Power like yours is useless if you have bad aim, stupid. Next time you try to destroy somebody's soul, make sure you destroy all of it," Ren said.

"D-Damn you…" he sputtered.

"Pyron, get her to a safe place while I finish off this cockroach!" Ren ordered.

Pyron began to retreat, but their enemy was not about to let them escape. Heaving, he crawled pathetically toward him and grabbed his ankle. The disgusted martial artist stomped on him and wondered how some opponents could be so stubborn even after their defeat. Then, much to his surprise, he heard him laugh.

"Heh, heh, heh. You're…both…good. Never thought I'd… have to…do this," he weakly said.

The entire island shook and they were almost blinded as infinite orange spirit balls suddenly cocooned the astrologer. Laughing insanely, he snapped his knee back into place. His muscles bulged to the size of tires, his hands grew claws that were almost half a yard, his teeth morphed into evil fangs, and he merged with his tiger-skin cape. He was now a striped half-man half-beast.

"What just happened?!" Pyron screamed.

"It's an oversoul with all of his tiger spirits! Find and destroy the medium!" Ren shouted.

He merged Bason with the kwan-dao and the allies charged.

XXXXX

Meanwhile, Jun whispered her heroes' names like a prayer and pushed painfully again. It looked like she was going to be on her own for a while, so she desperately staggered toward the sink and drank from the faucet. It was poor relief compared to a cool washrag on her head or a glass of ice water, though. It was poor relief.

Did she and Pyron really deserve this? They'd had so many hopes for their girls! It seemed only yesterday that they decided on making the nursery look identical to the empress's bedroom in the legendary Forbidden City. Moreover, she'd planned to hire the most talented circus performers in the world for their first birthday party. Oh… and when their wedding day came…

Suddenly, she was seized with a bold impulse. There was no guarantee it would give her children a fighting chance at life…yet stranger things had happened. The dao-shi slumped onto the rug and a single tear slipped down her cheek.

"Goodbye my darlings," she whispered, "Mommy loves you."

She became a volcano of blazing emerald energy and sweat gushed from every pore. Her heartbeat was a streamer in a thunderstorm and blood dripped from her nose. The priestess was giving all of her furyoku to her children in hopes that they would develop enough to live and she would at deliver them properly.

XXXXXXX

The Tao man slashed Sheng Ju's back and he blasted him into a nearby tree. Next, he pounced on Pyron and would have bitten off his hand if he hadn't blocked him with his nunchaku. Time held its breath as the two struggled…for a second, but the zombie finally managed to throw him off. Arrrggghhh! He was twice as strong now!

"What's the matter, boys? Where did that confidence go?" Sheng Ju growled in a creepy and distorted voice.

He threw several energy balls at them and they barely dodged. There was so much smoke left over that Ren felt as if someone had filled up his lungs with sand. Overcome, he choked violently and fell into his partner's arms. At the same time Pyron noticed Jun's blast of furyoku coming from inside the cabin.

"Oh no!" he cried.

"Go," Ren wheezed.

"No, I won't leave you behind!" he exclaimed.

"I don't have any children. She does. Now go," he hissed. His partner hesitated briefly and then sprinted off.

"Oh no you don't!" the monk shouted.

He threw some sand at him and sprinted toward the cabin. Pyron cursed and rubbed his eyes. If only they knew what the oversoul medium was! From what he'd heard it was usually an obvious symbol of the ghost. What else could be associated with a tiger? Claws, stripes, fangs…

_Wait! Could he have…?_ _There's only one way to find out!_ he thought.

He caught up with him and knocked out one tooth with a furious right hook! _**Ker-thwok! **_Sure enough, one spirit fell out of it. _**Whack! Pow!**_ With the fury of an F-5 tornado, he kept knocking out his opponent's teeth until he reverted to a cowering mass of gelatin.

"I was right. You oversouled your spirits into your own teeth, didn't you? Well, it looks like curiosity killed the cat this time," the White Dragon said.

_**CRACK-A-BLAM!! **_He threw him fifteen feet up and broke his spine with one kick. With that, Sheng Ju Hui plummeted into the sea like a stone. Lee Pyron had won.

XXXXXXXX

_The pine-haired woman floated in a silver tunnel covered in only a pink satin sheet and knew this had to be Limbo. She smiled serenely and knew it meant she had done her job as a mother. For just a tiny split second she wondered if she should go back and check on her daughters, but realized she would get too attached to the material world if she did. They couldn't handle having two dead parents even if they could see them._

"_Wait!" cried a young voice._

_She turned around but saw no one._

"_Wait! It isn't your time yet. Your family needs you!" it called again._

"_Who are you? Show yourself," Jun said._

_A green-haired, chocolate-eyed, and winged toddler waddled up to her in a sky blue gown. Jun felt a little chill run down her spine. This little girl gave her a sense of déjà vu…but it wasn't happy. _

_The child began to fly away and said, "Mommy, thank you so much for doing everything for me. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough. I love you."_

_She did not understand, yet something suddenly cried out in her not to let her go. She clung to her gown…but only succeeded in getting a torn piece as she flew away. Pearls and feathers rained from the sky and she ran after her until her feet bled._

"_Come back! Come BACK!! C-Come back…" she sobbed._

Jun gasped, bolted upright, and realized she was in a hospital room with Pyron and Ren by her side.

"Huh? Did I…?" she mumbled.

"Yes you did," her beloved replied, "I can't believe you pulled such a miracle off. Your brother took all of us here on the jet he had waiting on the other side of the island."

"My babies! Where are my babies?!" she questioned alarmingly.

"Wan Mei is fine. She'll be in an incubator for a few months though," he said.

"And Zhen Zhu?"

"By the way, the assassin's dead."

"That's nice, but-"

"You should have seen your brother. He fought amazingly."

"I'm sure he did and I love him very much for it. Now-"

"Pyron actually delivered the final blow!" her brother blurted nervously.

"JUST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TO ZHEN ZHU!!" she screamed.

Then it hit her like an eighteen-wheeler. Her brother pivoted and looked out the window so she couldn't see his face. Pyron's face crinkled in what would have been a prelude to tears for a live person. No…no…**no**! Wan Mei was supposed to have a sister to play and share secrets with!

"Zhen Zhu's lungs…were too small," Pyron croaked grievously.

Jun fainted.

XXXXXXX

The young mother and uncle had their first heart-to-heart talk in what seemed like a millennium two weeks while watching Wan Mei in the NICU.

"Do you want me to send someone out to buy tea for us? This hospital sludge isn't fit for pigs," Ren said.

She shook her head and kept staring miserably at her fragile little daughter in the incubator. Her brain would explode if she didn't tear all of the tubes off her gingersnap skin and cuddle her wispy brunette hair soon. What kind of mother let one child come into the world in so much pain and another die? A miserable _glick_ noise escaped her throat.

"Oh Big Sister… please don't cry," he begged.

"I…I want to…but I don't think I can anymore," she replied.

"Come again?"

"Remember reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe in fifth grade and the scene after Lucy and Susan finish crying over Aslan's death? I…I'm feeling that same emptiness now."

He didn't know what to say, so he just wrapped his arm around her and offered and rubbed her back.

"By the way," Jun gradually said, "did something happen on your way to the island? You look…"

"About five years older? Heh. I'll explain it to you later," he chuckled.

Just then the priestess felt something warm wrap around her pinky finger. She curiously arched an eyebrow and gasped when she realized it was Wan Mei. A shaky smile crept onto her face for the first time in weeks and she drowned in a paradox of elation and grief. Maybe she couldn't cry anymore…because she had finally earned eternal joy…joy named Wan Mei.

XXXXXX

"What about The Story of Lady Chang?" Jun suggested.

"No. It will sadden her," Pyron firmly replied.

"Alright, what about The Magic Finger?" she said.

"That will encourage her to be greedy."

"The Story of Hok Lee?"

"My little princess will not have nightmares about demonic dwarves!"

Jun sighed and slumped against the nursery wall. Sometimes Pyron was so overprotective it made her want to bash her head against a tree. They were trying to decide on a good bedtime story for Wan Mei, although he'd already rejected half of her suggestions. Honestly!

"Okay, okay. What about The Abduction of Queen Guinevere?" she asked.

"Heavens no! She might fall in love with Sir Lancelot!" he exclaimed.

Wan Mei burbled gleefully from her crib.

"See?" he pointed out.

"Oh Pyron, he's a storybook character," she groaned.

"And she's young and impressionable! Daddy is the only man in your life Angel, yes he is," he cooed to the girl.

Jun had to smile as she watched their daughter babble back to them. She mused on the past year. When Wan Mei had been conceived it was a taboo. People always said scientists were not God and he would not have been pleased with this. However, Jun knew that they must have done something right to deserve their own living breathing miracle.

"That's what she is," she whispered, "Our miraculous taboo."

And come hell or high water they would raise her into a fine young woman.

XXXXX

8. A type of Chinese weapon with a huge ball on the end of a stick for striking one's opponent


End file.
